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Livestock Breeding > [Direct Victim ¦ Indirect Victim ¦ Vaccination ¦ Government Support]

INDIRECTLY AFFECTED BY FOOT AND MOUTH

Charles Goadby's farm escaped the disease but not it's effects. Farms just 7 miles away were infected. So Charles's family spent weeks in isolation trying to prevent it spreading to their 270 dairy cows.

They succeeded, but the herd's integrity was still affected by livestock movement restrictions.
The Artificial Insemination service stopped so the cows produced no calves last year. Old and barren cows are usually sold off each year. But restricted ablity to buy or breed new stock last year meant the Goadbys couldn't replace any cows they sold. Forced to keep all current stock, quality of the herd declined. Milk production and profits decreased.

RAPID RECOVERY

One year later, Charles says the herd is almost recovered. But longer lasting effects of foot and mouth include closure of the livestock markets. The farming community also lives in constant fear that the disease could return (see related links below).

HAS ANYTHING POSITIVE COME OUT OF FOOT AND MOUTH?

Charles believes the crisis woke people up to the problem of illegally imported meat, but we haven't learned from it. Illegal meat still enters the country via hand luggage and in containers, hidden under fruit and vegetable loads.

Related Links

2002 scare in Leicestershire - False alarm heightened farmers' fear.

© Louise Bardsley December 2002